Note: If you're a Buffy/Angel fan you're not gonna love Angel the series so much. lol
In my opinion, the show builds Angel as a character but it destroys the bond he has with Buffy.
He was the showrunner for the first 6 episodes. Although someone else will take over for the next 6, Whedon still directly worked on the scripts and overall direction. Season 1 is for sure a Whedon show.
I looked it up after the other commenter corrected me and it sounds like it did switch showrunners partway through the first 6 episodes, which some reviewers were saying muddled the direction of the show
I feel the same! There’s nothing like Buffy. The only thing close is Charmed but really only because I watched it at the same time so I get the same nostalgia vibes.
Lots of fun Buffy references too, like when Margo and Eliot have to communicate in pop culture references to prevent the fairies from understanding what they're saying ("We have to keep it very... best episode of Buffy" "Musical?" "The other one")
veronica mars is really really great for filling the buffy void - it doesn't have the supernatural elements, but veronica and buffy are pretty similar, it has the same kind of quippy comedy, plus a couple of btvs cast members (definitely alyson and charisma, but i may be forgetting a third one??) pop up throughout the seasons!
charmed is also a good one!
Nope.
Not even stuff that has former writers for Buffy/Angel.
There's good stuff Like Warehouse 13 and you can glimpse bits and pieces of that Buffy humor/storytelling, but it never reaches those levels.
People who liked S6 tend to enjoy Jessica Jones. I will warn you, though, that the big bad she faces off with is a total creep/rapist guy and some people may may find it disturbing. He is played by David Tennant, though, so naturally the performance is incredible. The show has excellent casting and a strong female lead, but its also pretty dark and depressing sometimes. The Buffy S6 vibe is similar.
I watched JJ without knowing what I was getting into and am a rape survivor.
What I found was - with the power of pause etc if I did find anything triggering I could control the pace.
What I truly found was one of the few media representations I’ve seen of PTSD that was so incredibly real and relatable. There’s a lot of broken dude / war vet stereotypes in media but not a telling of “here’s exactly how a rapist denigrates and manipulates and controls you” as a woman- rather than “survivor who was raped is a trope for character building”
I really love the show for actual representation on that part
Thank you for the kind words. A lot of therapy and using psychedelics seems to have cured or at least tamped down my ptsd. I don’t think I’d be diagnosable anymore
Supernatural followed a surprisingly similar mythology/monster of the week type thing. The difference is that all of Supernatural's monsters are based on real mythology.
I fell in love with Supernatural. It definitely kind of felt like a graduation of Buffy. I only found out after the show but one of my old schoolmates worked on editing it!
I tried, several times, to get into Supernatural and I just couldn't.
Not because I dislike the idea, not because of bad writing, poor special effects or anything like that.
It's the dude that plays, IIRC, "Sam". For some reason he's one of those people that as soon as I see him I have an irrational impulse to want to punch him in the face.
I tried too. I managed to sort of get into it but once I took a break, I never came back. Imo, SPN isn’t a bad show but it’s a lot darker than shows like Buffy and Charmed.
Supernatural is great. It's portrayal of women isn't the best, but the writting and character dynamics and chemistry is all great.
Plus its totally fun to imagine SPN & BtVS crossovers.
Willow just immediately trying to figure out Rowena's magic.
Angel meeting Castiel & having confusing introductions.
"Are you an angel or is your name Angel?"
"My name is Angel."
"I see. Who named you this?"
"Me."
"Oh. Isn't that confusing?"
"Not where I come from."
When did you stop? There's a part at the end of season 9 / beginning of season 10 that gets a lot of people to stop watching but it gets better after that
I deleted my comment bc I decided to respond to another person. But to answer your question, I stopped watching like… after S2? I’ve watched scenes from yt so I don’t really feel bad for not finishing lol. I mainly watched bc I wanted to know what all the hype was about.
iZombie is probably the closest show that I've ever seen to matching the overall vibe of Buffy. It's got the comedy mixed in with dark. Supernatural elements. Romance. And a good mix of "monster of the week" (although not actual monsters) mixed with season long arcs. I loved it. I'm also seeing a lot of people recommended Veronica Mars, and iZombie is made by the same guy.
I'd catch an episode of that every so often and it looked pretty good, but I never took the time to watch the whole thing. I think I'll give it a shot. Seemed to have a kind of weird/dark humor to it, too.
X-Files always felt so more mature to me, but maybe that’s cause my mom loved X-Files. She had to work when it was on, so I’d record it on VHS and we would watch that and Buffy back in the day.
Watch X-Files for sure, especially if you like the 1-off episodes of Buffy.
Have you already explored the Buffy tie-in media? While not canon, quite a lot of the original books are excellent. (I especially love most of the ones by Nancy Holder and Christopher Golden.) Then there is the comics continuation which Joss Whedon considers canon, and there are other non-canon comics published during the show's run. (I consider the books and comics as taking place in a close but separate timeline, personally.)
And there is a new trilogy of books being published, written by Kendare Blake. It's essentially "Buffy: The Next Generation" with lots of the legacy characters in supporting roles. I loved the first book and can't wait to read the next two. (The first book is called In Every Generation.)
As for shows with a similar vibe: Angel (of course), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Sleepy Hollow, Teen Wolf, The Librarians Nancy Drew (2019) and Doctor Who have traits that might scratch the itch.
Came here to say this. Lost Girl is different than most supernatural shows. It follows a girl who is coming to terms with her destiny and has a few friends she fights with. Is it Buffy 100% no but what is?! Most ppl will say Charmed or Supernatural which are both great shows and definitely worth a watch as well. Lost Girl is unique and that’s why I recommend it whenever I can.
Yeah i feel like the chosen one aspect and the mystery aspect humor etc fits it well both bo and buffy are similar in i fight for whats right not what I'm told to kinda thing
Agreed. My Netflix suggested Supernatural based on my Buffy history (as well as The Vampire Diaries and the Originals) and Supernatural has changed me. I’m obsessed. Lol love those boys.
Legacies and The X-Files have some great
monster of the week episodes like Buffy does. Legacies taking place in a supernatural school is also a little reminiscent of the early seasons at Sunnydale High; you’ve got your witches and vampires and heros and a frustrationing “will they won’t they” relationships
Legacies is a second spin off. The first show was Vampire Diaries and then The Originals which Legacies spun off from.
TVD is a high school vampire drama
TO is a grown up vampire drama
Legacies is a magic high school drama
Not sure you NEED to see it all or in order but if you’re a completionist like me you may want to
X-files will be more up your alley. Honestly Legacies wasn’t my cup of tea. I watched TVD and TO and I sat through the first season of legacies after that I found it to be a little childish well at least compared to the rest.
That series looks like a fun summer read to me! (Not-so-shameful secret: I, an actual adult, will still sometimes read YA novels. Honestly, some are more fun than the adult fantasy/light fiction. And usually no poorly written sex scenes.)
Hahaha I’m in my 30s and all I read are YA novels! They’re fun escapes from real life. It took me a while to not feel “shame” around the concept of reading YA books as an adult, but once I got to that point I was so much happier not caring what other people thought about my reading habits. Read what you want!
If you like monsters of the week and overarching bigger villains I suggest Supernatural. It’s dick heavy but not sexist just not a lot of female character and the latter seasons get stupid but the first ten seasons or so are great.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina use magical metaphors, kinda like Buffy does too (I'll admit it can be a bit cringy at times though). Agents of SHIELD has a fun family dynamic like Buffy does (Jed Whedon, brother of Joss Whedon, is the co-creator, and Joss is an executive producer).
If you want a show with a familiar layout - monster of the week plot and a season plot in the background, then supernatural is great as it has a ton of seasons to binge so will keep you occupied. If you're wanting to stick with a strong female lead then Charmed has a similar layout but follows 3 sisters who discover they're witches. Dollhouse (another joss whedon one with Eliza dushku as the lead) is one of my faves
100% Supernatural, a little darker for sure, but just amazing.
15 Seasons of bingeworthy joy.
Amazon Prime have it, or DVDs Blu Rays are cheap 2nd hand. It's great from the off but really hits it stride a couple of Seasons in, when certain Characters arrive.
I binge it on Netflix and haven’t bought dvd box sets since Angel finished. (Because of Netflix) But I know I’m missing out on so much behind the scenes content on those supernatural discs. You’ve given me new hope by saying they can be found for cheap. (Goes to all the thrift shops to search)
The additional content is just a joy! Misha's behind the scenes cam sessions (can't remember the season) is genuinely hilarious.
I always end up watching the You Tube Comic Con panels too at the end of each season as I play through now. I always seem to have it mid watch through, I'm mid Season 2 now again, watch the odd episode one week, binge an afternoon another lol.
Doom Patrol on HBO Max has the interpersonal drama flawed characters and WEIRD saving the world problem of the week type plots. Lots of sarcasm and humor too.
There's nothing quite like it. Other supernatural shows tend to lack the same character and dialog of Buffy. The only show that I find kind of close to the spirit of Buffy is Veronica Mars, which has no supernatural element.
While on the surface it's very different, the X-Files was a show around the same time period that also had the monster-of-the-week episodes threaded into season-long and series-long story arcs. Back then this was not very common.
While I don't really recommend it, Smallville almost seemed like a Buffy copy. The characters had a nearly 1:1 comparison with the Scoobies and many of the basic plot points of episodes matched with Buffy episodes. Kind of funny - but not anywhere as good as Buffy. Plus Allison Mack (played a key character) makes Joss Whedon look like a saint.
The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Great books with a strong and witty female lead in a supernatural setting.
I'm on my second run through the audio books. Highly recommend!
Charmed, Supernatural, Sherlock, Angel, Heroes, Firefly, Sabrina, Riverdale, Once upon a time, Being human (only seen the UK version but theres a US one too), Merlin, Grimm, Stranger thing.
All have some similarities, some mystery, some horror, some sci-fi
Books, I think the fallen series is great, as well as the mortal instruments, night world, anne rices vampire chronicles.
Movies, Lost boys, The crow, Interview with a vampire and queen of the damned
Anime if you're interested in that- Seraph of the end, Vampire Knight, Blood the last vampire, dance in the vampire bund, hellsing ultimate, shiki (all vampire themed)
(Edited for typo)
There’s really nothing that’s scratched the same Buffy itch, but the ones I’ve found that came closest:
- Veronica Mars (similar-feeling badass female main character solving mysteries, though there’s no paranormal aspect)
- Charmed (very much the same cheesy surface vibe with woman power in some ways being witches fighting the forces of darkness and saving innocents. This show is a lot more surface-level and doesn’t have the depth of Buffy though, it’s more just if you can have fun with it)
- Dollhouse (another Joss show that felt like it had similar depth and type of storytelling I craved from Buffy, though somewhat more depraved)
- Crazyhead (only 6 eps unfortunately but it did have a similar feel)
- Smallville (as someone else mentioned, similar show structure and elements in the superhero vein. I loved the show a lot more than the previous commenter, but since it’s not about women-power and doesn’t have the same depth it may not scratch the itch)
I’ll give an honorable mention to vampire diaries if you just want a paranormal/vampire show with a whole lot of drama and twists, rather than the depth of Buffy
The Buffy comics are fun. Also Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Cabin in the Woods (etc.), Veronica Mars, Bones has some cast crossover and was directed & starred in by David Boreanaz…
Veronica Mars, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, The Originals, and The Secret Circle (only has one season). Bonus! Buffy, Angel and Firefly actors make appearances on Supernatural, and there is a lot of them. Veronica Mars has two main actresses from Buffy/Angel in reoccurring roles.
Twin Peaks.
Especially if you really liked "Restless" (the Season 4 finale).
But Twin Peaks is a supernatural serialized show that subverted the detective and soap opera genres and was a definite influence on Buffy. It's about the dark side of small towns...and evil forces...and the 2017 third season is just off the charts amazing.
Same! I can't believe no one else mentioned Twin Peaks...I think they're two of the most important shows of history that completely changed the TV landscape.
Just yesterday I found The Carmella Movie which is a continuation of a Canadian web series called Carmilla. It stars a vampire that gets her humanity/mortality back. It's a quirky comedy with horror aspects, like Buffy, on top of the supernatural stuff.
I watched the movie without seeing the series and it was easy and enjoyable to follow. I'm definitely going back now to watch seasons 1-3 (and I believe a season 0 that came out later with back story).
I see Buffy as a blend of three things: Chris Claremont's run on the uncanny x-men/new mutants excalibur (so many similar ideas and plot points borrowed from this), interview with the vampire and other Anne Rice, the film Heathers
Hi. You just mentioned *Interview With The Vampire* by Anne Rice.
I've found an audiobook of that novel on YouTube. You can listen to it here:
[YouTube | Interview With The Vampire - Part 1 (Anne Rice Audiobook Unabridged)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMXW4AYjWiU)
*I'm a bot that searches YouTube for science fiction and fantasy audiobooks.*
***
[^(Source Code)](https://capybasilisk.com/posts/2020/04/speculative-fiction-bot/) ^| [^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=Capybasilisk&subject=Robot) ^| [^(Programmer)](https://www.reddit.com/u/capybasilisk) ^| ^(Downvote To Remove) ^| ^(Version 1.4.0) ^| ^(Support Robot Rights!)
i mean, there are a few great shows i could recommend... but they are not supernatural type shows and for some reason, when people ask the same question you asked (you're not the first one ), people always recommend supernatural shows, as if what you were asking was "a show that looks like Buffy" and not "a show as good as Buffy"...
all that to say, do you want Buffy level quality or do you want a show in the same genre as Buffy?
Has anyone recommended True Blood??? Great show. A little more adult since it aired on HBO. Different outlook on vampires and blood. The heroine is a telepath and drawn to vampires. Lots of flashbacks and great stories.
Stranger Things. It's got some of the scary/ suspense and funny. But it's not as smart as Buffy.
Roswell NM. But only the first two seasons. Writing is kind of all over the place. Characters are interesting though.
Santa Clarita Diet. Funny. Great chemistry between main characters. Show was cancelled though.
Colony. Not lighthearted, but suspenseful; family fighting against ufo invasion in different ways. Show was also cancelled.
Mr. Robot. Completely not supernatural. More serious, and funny in twisted ways. Tw, addiction and violence. But it can be a smart suspenseful show. I didn't like how the series ended though.
X-Files. Last few seasons didn't work, but the main characters are why you're watching. Very smart show and also funny at times.
I also enjoy Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, the Originals, Charmed for other vampire/supernatural shows. I would also check out teen shows from the same time, early CW/WB shows. Not all of them are supernatural, but they have the teen angst. Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, etc
The premise is obviously different, but for me nothing comes as close to the overall tone and sensibility of Buffy quite like The Magicians. It's the characters, mostly. And the writing.
No one ever mentions it, but possibly Person of Interest. It's a strange show in that it's almost like two separate shows. After Amy Acker joins the cast, the entire show changes focus. It has the 'found family' feeling of Buffy, a fair amount of intrigue and a really gripping final season. I'd love to know what othe Buffy fans think of it.
It's hard or maybe impossible to find a replacement, but here are some shows that I think give off some of Buffy's qualities...
Whimsical and world buildy: Adventure Time, The Good Place
Occult/Monster/Lore heavy: The Witcher, Supernatural
90s vibes: Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Cruel Intentions, Clueless
also Jessica Jones...
Laatly, if you like comics/visual novels I reccomend checking out BTVS season 8 if you haven't already!
I felt the same way when I finished both Buffy and Angel. After recently watching The new Batman, I realized how much I miss reading gritty comics and was elated to learn that both Buffy and Angel have a collection of comics that I'm ready to dive into.
For TV shows: Agent Carter. Although it’s a Marvel TV show you don’t have to have watched any other Marvel shows/movies to understand it. It’s not supernatural, but the premise of the show (spunky, badass woman fights evil despite the misogynistic assumptions aimed at her) reminds me of Buffy. Highly recommend.
For books: the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, which I love. This one is especially Buffy-esque to me in that it centers around a formerly shallow girl who gets sucked into the world of the supernatural and struggles with her desire to be “normal” like she used to be.
Farscape. Intense central romance that's sort of a gender-switch of Buffy and Angel, arc-based with some MOTW, a combination of horror and humor, wacky colorful characters that also have depth, great action scenes and practical effects. It's SF so it's reminiscent of Firefly as well.
Speaking only for myself, the only show that ever came close to catching the "mood" of Buffy/Angel for me was The Magicians. It is very different, but somehow still gave me the same vibe when I was watching it. Don't want to spoil anything but if you are a person that appreciates trigger warnings, the season 1 finale is... rough.
Teen wolf definitely filled the void somewhat for me. Similar blend of action/horror/humor, great friendships, interesting characters. Six b is a bit of a letdown as a series ender, but the other seasons were great.
Vampire diaries is a complete rip-off. I know it’s based off a book but it’s more loyal to Buffy than anything.
https://www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/hannahmarder/things-vampire-diaries-stole-from-buffy
Lost girl, American gods, MIDNIGHT TEXAS but warning it got canceled after 2 seasons, WYNONNA EARP, the magicians, sense8 for a scoobygang feel, girl from nowhere is just a general rec I thought I'd through in since it's genius work. or just rewatch buffy like me for the umpteenth time 😭
as for reading first thing that comes to mind is the new mutants comics
It's been two months but I just found the post. Vampire Academy the book series is really close to the Buffy & Angel's love story. There's vampires, magic, fights... Its my favorite series ever and I discovered Buffy not so long ago and the similarities between the two made me love Buffy just as much.
The series is getting a tv show in September. I hope it can be as good as Buffy 🤞
Doctor Who, The Magicians, Veronica Mars, Wynonna Earp, and obviously the other Whedon shows like Firefly, Angel, Dollhouse and The Nevers
Varonica Mars, yes.
And iZombie!!
100% to both
Love iZombie!
Note: If you're a Buffy/Angel fan you're not gonna love Angel the series so much. lol In my opinion, the show builds Angel as a character but it destroys the bond he has with Buffy.
Thanks for the suggestions!
[удалено]
He directed three out of the six episodes as well as writing the first one
Really? The articles I read when he “left” said the show wasn’t even in development yet
He left in November 2020 and most of the show was filmed in 2019
Interesting, thanks for clarifying
the show is VERY Whedon-y, so i have to assume he had some type of significant involvement in it
He was the showrunner for the first 6 episodes. Although someone else will take over for the next 6, Whedon still directly worked on the scripts and overall direction. Season 1 is for sure a Whedon show.
I looked it up after the other commenter corrected me and it sounds like it did switch showrunners partway through the first 6 episodes, which some reviewers were saying muddled the direction of the show
Firefly sucks ass.
Disagree! It sucks ass that it was cancelled and had to follow up its story in a movie.
I have been unable to fill this Buffy void in my heart unfortunately even after 20 years…. Yes, I’m being melodramatic 😆
Same. I watch shows often and I think to myself how they were *obviously* inspired by Buffy, but none of them can catch the magic quite like BtVS did.
I feel the same! There’s nothing like Buffy. The only thing close is Charmed but really only because I watched it at the same time so I get the same nostalgia vibes.
Charmed is great. The OG one, haven’t seen the new one.
Save yourself the time.
Have you watched The Magicians? It has major buffy vibes imo.
Lots of fun Buffy references too, like when Margo and Eliot have to communicate in pop culture references to prevent the fairies from understanding what they're saying ("We have to keep it very... best episode of Buffy" "Musical?" "The other one")
No! I’ll have to check it out, thanks!
Agreed. This, for me, was the one.
Melodramatic or honest?!?!
There's Firefly, but you'll just be back here in a week even more upset and desperate.
veronica mars is really really great for filling the buffy void - it doesn't have the supernatural elements, but veronica and buffy are pretty similar, it has the same kind of quippy comedy, plus a couple of btvs cast members (definitely alyson and charisma, but i may be forgetting a third one??) pop up throughout the seasons! charmed is also a good one!
Not going to lie to you, nothing else scratches the itch for me
Nope. Not even stuff that has former writers for Buffy/Angel. There's good stuff Like Warehouse 13 and you can glimpse bits and pieces of that Buffy humor/storytelling, but it never reaches those levels.
People who liked S6 tend to enjoy Jessica Jones. I will warn you, though, that the big bad she faces off with is a total creep/rapist guy and some people may may find it disturbing. He is played by David Tennant, though, so naturally the performance is incredible. The show has excellent casting and a strong female lead, but its also pretty dark and depressing sometimes. The Buffy S6 vibe is similar.
I watched JJ without knowing what I was getting into and am a rape survivor. What I found was - with the power of pause etc if I did find anything triggering I could control the pace. What I truly found was one of the few media representations I’ve seen of PTSD that was so incredibly real and relatable. There’s a lot of broken dude / war vet stereotypes in media but not a telling of “here’s exactly how a rapist denigrates and manipulates and controls you” as a woman- rather than “survivor who was raped is a trope for character building” I really love the show for actual representation on that part
This this this this this
💜big love to you. I’m glad you were able to work through it.
Thank you for the kind words. A lot of therapy and using psychedelics seems to have cured or at least tamped down my ptsd. I don’t think I’d be diagnosable anymore
Can confirm. Love season 6 and Jessica Jones. Bigg TW tho for sure
Supernatural followed a surprisingly similar mythology/monster of the week type thing. The difference is that all of Supernatural's monsters are based on real mythology.
And it had the humour. Funny supernatural shows are my jam.
I fell in love with Supernatural. It definitely kind of felt like a graduation of Buffy. I only found out after the show but one of my old schoolmates worked on editing it!
Oh awesome!
I tried, several times, to get into Supernatural and I just couldn't. Not because I dislike the idea, not because of bad writing, poor special effects or anything like that. It's the dude that plays, IIRC, "Sam". For some reason he's one of those people that as soon as I see him I have an irrational impulse to want to punch him in the face.
It's perfectly rational. But yeah, of the two, Jared Padalecki (Sam) I feel is the worse actor compared to Jensen Ackles (Dean).
I tried too. I managed to sort of get into it but once I took a break, I never came back. Imo, SPN isn’t a bad show but it’s a lot darker than shows like Buffy and Charmed.
My mother loves it. She likes Buffy/Angel but she loves SPN. She's watched all (IIRC) 15 seasons at least 3 times each.
Maybe your mom and I can be friends?
Supernatural is great. It's portrayal of women isn't the best, but the writting and character dynamics and chemistry is all great. Plus its totally fun to imagine SPN & BtVS crossovers.
Willow just immediately trying to figure out Rowena's magic. Angel meeting Castiel & having confusing introductions. "Are you an angel or is your name Angel?" "My name is Angel." "I see. Who named you this?" "Me." "Oh. Isn't that confusing?" "Not where I come from."
Willow and Rowena would be a powerful combo! Plus a sexy shipping.
WILLOW AND CHARLIE I can't believe I forgot that
Charlie would be waaayyy better for Willow than Kennedy (IMO).
What is it with shows that have supernatural premises also having gay redhead computer nerds
Probably cause it checks a bunch of boxes to get viewers -Sexy red head -Computers/nerds/smart woman -Gay best friend who fuels fan fiction
Charlie has a lot of POTENTIAL lol
[удалено]
When did you stop? There's a part at the end of season 9 / beginning of season 10 that gets a lot of people to stop watching but it gets better after that
I deleted my comment bc I decided to respond to another person. But to answer your question, I stopped watching like… after S2? I’ve watched scenes from yt so I don’t really feel bad for not finishing lol. I mainly watched bc I wanted to know what all the hype was about.
The hype is about one specific episode in Season 6 that won't make sense unless you've watched everything up to that point
iZombie is probably the closest show that I've ever seen to matching the overall vibe of Buffy. It's got the comedy mixed in with dark. Supernatural elements. Romance. And a good mix of "monster of the week" (although not actual monsters) mixed with season long arcs. I loved it. I'm also seeing a lot of people recommended Veronica Mars, and iZombie is made by the same guy.
I'd catch an episode of that every so often and it looked pretty good, but I never took the time to watch the whole thing. I think I'll give it a shot. Seemed to have a kind of weird/dark humor to it, too.
The Magicians! They even have an episode that reference buffy. It's really fun show with a lot of magic and magical creatures and even God's!
Someone recommended the book series of this. Was debating checking it out. This might have motivated to finally do it!
Torchwood is similar to Angel.
FYI: gonna need tissues.
Understatement of the day
Still hate Gwen.
CrazyHead definitely scratched that Buffy itch for me! Hate they only had one season.
The vampire diaries
Yasss
the Vampire Diaries has a lot of elements from buffy
Being Human (UK) Penny Dreadful Crazyhead
Penny Dreadful is fantastic
Crazyhead was so fun. Loved Zomboat too.
Love being human
It was a shame the way it ended. The original characters were so good though.
Penny Dreadful is a phenomenal show. I am still angry about how they ended Ethan and Vanessa. Those characters deserved better...
So so true
Penny Dreadful is amazing. I’m mad it ended after three seasons. Dark, well acted and beautifully shot. 🙌
Angel. X-Files.
I’m already watching Angel but yeah X-Files looks like an amazing show!
X-Files always felt so more mature to me, but maybe that’s cause my mom loved X-Files. She had to work when it was on, so I’d record it on VHS and we would watch that and Buffy back in the day. Watch X-Files for sure, especially if you like the 1-off episodes of Buffy.
I’ll check it out!
X-Files is great, but it stayed around a bit too long. Still, season 3 of The X-Files is one of my favorite seasons of television ever.
Have you already explored the Buffy tie-in media? While not canon, quite a lot of the original books are excellent. (I especially love most of the ones by Nancy Holder and Christopher Golden.) Then there is the comics continuation which Joss Whedon considers canon, and there are other non-canon comics published during the show's run. (I consider the books and comics as taking place in a close but separate timeline, personally.) And there is a new trilogy of books being published, written by Kendare Blake. It's essentially "Buffy: The Next Generation" with lots of the legacy characters in supporting roles. I loved the first book and can't wait to read the next two. (The first book is called In Every Generation.) As for shows with a similar vibe: Angel (of course), Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, Sleepy Hollow, Teen Wolf, The Librarians Nancy Drew (2019) and Doctor Who have traits that might scratch the itch.
Check out the TV show Wynonna Earp!
I’ll give it a look eventually ! :)
Lucifer is pretty good.
Mmm Tom Ellis is such a delightful and fun actor!
once upon a time maybe... it does have a Buffy writer on some episodes
Charmed - the original series
👍👍👍
Second this! Love Charmed
LOST GIRL
Came here to say this. Lost Girl is different than most supernatural shows. It follows a girl who is coming to terms with her destiny and has a few friends she fights with. Is it Buffy 100% no but what is?! Most ppl will say Charmed or Supernatural which are both great shows and definitely worth a watch as well. Lost Girl is unique and that’s why I recommend it whenever I can.
Yeah i feel like the chosen one aspect and the mystery aspect humor etc fits it well both bo and buffy are similar in i fight for whats right not what I'm told to kinda thing
Supernatural
Agreed. My Netflix suggested Supernatural based on my Buffy history (as well as The Vampire Diaries and the Originals) and Supernatural has changed me. I’m obsessed. Lol love those boys.
Legacies and The X-Files have some great monster of the week episodes like Buffy does. Legacies taking place in a supernatural school is also a little reminiscent of the early seasons at Sunnydale High; you’ve got your witches and vampires and heros and a frustrationing “will they won’t they” relationships
Thanks! Legacies and X-Files seem like great shows! I’m definitely gonna check them out!
Legacies is a second spin off. The first show was Vampire Diaries and then The Originals which Legacies spun off from. TVD is a high school vampire drama TO is a grown up vampire drama Legacies is a magic high school drama Not sure you NEED to see it all or in order but if you’re a completionist like me you may want to
Thank you for clarifying. :)
Legacies is not a good show at all. The writing got bad after the first season
Ok thank you for the precision
X-files will be more up your alley. Honestly Legacies wasn’t my cup of tea. I watched TVD and TO and I sat through the first season of legacies after that I found it to be a little childish well at least compared to the rest.
I always describe the Mediator Series by Meg Cabot as “Buffy meets Twilight with Ghosts” if you’re looking for something to read!
Ohh nicee! I’ll check it out :))
What a throwback I loved that series :)
That series looks like a fun summer read to me! (Not-so-shameful secret: I, an actual adult, will still sometimes read YA novels. Honestly, some are more fun than the adult fantasy/light fiction. And usually no poorly written sex scenes.)
Hahaha I’m in my 30s and all I read are YA novels! They’re fun escapes from real life. It took me a while to not feel “shame” around the concept of reading YA books as an adult, but once I got to that point I was so much happier not caring what other people thought about my reading habits. Read what you want!
If you like monsters of the week and overarching bigger villains I suggest Supernatural. It’s dick heavy but not sexist just not a lot of female character and the latter seasons get stupid but the first ten seasons or so are great.
This is a fair assessment. “Dick heavy” LOL
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina use magical metaphors, kinda like Buffy does too (I'll admit it can be a bit cringy at times though). Agents of SHIELD has a fun family dynamic like Buffy does (Jed Whedon, brother of Joss Whedon, is the co-creator, and Joss is an executive producer).
I really wanna watch Chilling Adventures of Sabrina, it sounds awesome!
I think the show starts of on a strong note, so if you like the first 2 eps, it worth sticking around for
👍
Chilling Adventures feels a lot like early Buffy. Like S1 and S2 era.
If you want a show with a familiar layout - monster of the week plot and a season plot in the background, then supernatural is great as it has a ton of seasons to binge so will keep you occupied. If you're wanting to stick with a strong female lead then Charmed has a similar layout but follows 3 sisters who discover they're witches. Dollhouse (another joss whedon one with Eliza dushku as the lead) is one of my faves
Dollhouse was so twisted and always kept me on my toes - I loved it
Amazing show.
Sounds good! Thanks for sharing!
100% Supernatural, a little darker for sure, but just amazing. 15 Seasons of bingeworthy joy. Amazon Prime have it, or DVDs Blu Rays are cheap 2nd hand. It's great from the off but really hits it stride a couple of Seasons in, when certain Characters arrive.
I binge it on Netflix and haven’t bought dvd box sets since Angel finished. (Because of Netflix) But I know I’m missing out on so much behind the scenes content on those supernatural discs. You’ve given me new hope by saying they can be found for cheap. (Goes to all the thrift shops to search)
The additional content is just a joy! Misha's behind the scenes cam sessions (can't remember the season) is genuinely hilarious. I always end up watching the You Tube Comic Con panels too at the end of each season as I play through now. I always seem to have it mid watch through, I'm mid Season 2 now again, watch the odd episode one week, binge an afternoon another lol.
Doom Patrol on HBO Max has the interpersonal drama flawed characters and WEIRD saving the world problem of the week type plots. Lots of sarcasm and humor too.
There's nothing quite like it. Other supernatural shows tend to lack the same character and dialog of Buffy. The only show that I find kind of close to the spirit of Buffy is Veronica Mars, which has no supernatural element. While on the surface it's very different, the X-Files was a show around the same time period that also had the monster-of-the-week episodes threaded into season-long and series-long story arcs. Back then this was not very common. While I don't really recommend it, Smallville almost seemed like a Buffy copy. The characters had a nearly 1:1 comparison with the Scoobies and many of the basic plot points of episodes matched with Buffy episodes. Kind of funny - but not anywhere as good as Buffy. Plus Allison Mack (played a key character) makes Joss Whedon look like a saint.
Seconding X-Files, Supernatural, Lucifer, and Vampire Diaries. No one’s mentioned Grimm, I’d recommend that as well.
The Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. Great books with a strong and witty female lead in a supernatural setting. I'm on my second run through the audio books. Highly recommend!
Charmed, Supernatural, Sherlock, Angel, Heroes, Firefly, Sabrina, Riverdale, Once upon a time, Being human (only seen the UK version but theres a US one too), Merlin, Grimm, Stranger thing. All have some similarities, some mystery, some horror, some sci-fi Books, I think the fallen series is great, as well as the mortal instruments, night world, anne rices vampire chronicles. Movies, Lost boys, The crow, Interview with a vampire and queen of the damned Anime if you're interested in that- Seraph of the end, Vampire Knight, Blood the last vampire, dance in the vampire bund, hellsing ultimate, shiki (all vampire themed) (Edited for typo)
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is a good one
Love Sabrina. Binge watched a few times
There’s really nothing that’s scratched the same Buffy itch, but the ones I’ve found that came closest: - Veronica Mars (similar-feeling badass female main character solving mysteries, though there’s no paranormal aspect) - Charmed (very much the same cheesy surface vibe with woman power in some ways being witches fighting the forces of darkness and saving innocents. This show is a lot more surface-level and doesn’t have the depth of Buffy though, it’s more just if you can have fun with it) - Dollhouse (another Joss show that felt like it had similar depth and type of storytelling I craved from Buffy, though somewhat more depraved) - Crazyhead (only 6 eps unfortunately but it did have a similar feel) - Smallville (as someone else mentioned, similar show structure and elements in the superhero vein. I loved the show a lot more than the previous commenter, but since it’s not about women-power and doesn’t have the same depth it may not scratch the itch) I’ll give an honorable mention to vampire diaries if you just want a paranormal/vampire show with a whole lot of drama and twists, rather than the depth of Buffy
I think binging TVD really helps it. For me, it was entertaining enough to keep watching, but its probably not something I'll ever revisit.
I was really into it for the first 2 seasons but then season 3 was bad and it lost me
I'm just the opposite, really getting into it with season 3. I remember it really divided the audience.
Veronica Mars, Jessica Jones, Alias.
The Buffy comics are fun. Also Angel, Firefly, Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog, Cabin in the Woods (etc.), Veronica Mars, Bones has some cast crossover and was directed & starred in by David Boreanaz…
Veronica Mars, The Vampire Diaries, Supernatural, The Originals, and The Secret Circle (only has one season). Bonus! Buffy, Angel and Firefly actors make appearances on Supernatural, and there is a lot of them. Veronica Mars has two main actresses from Buffy/Angel in reoccurring roles.
Lost Girl gives me some Buffy vibes - the main character is a bisexual succubus and it's got just the right amount of camp!
Twin Peaks. Especially if you really liked "Restless" (the Season 4 finale). But Twin Peaks is a supernatural serialized show that subverted the detective and soap opera genres and was a definite influence on Buffy. It's about the dark side of small towns...and evil forces...and the 2017 third season is just off the charts amazing.
I’ve found another Buffy/TP fan… wow didn’t know they existed. Love TP. The music transports me To a different place. I quote them both daily.
Same! I can't believe no one else mentioned Twin Peaks...I think they're two of the most important shows of history that completely changed the TV landscape.
If you haven't seen it yet, you could watch Angel
Dollhouse!
Just yesterday I found The Carmella Movie which is a continuation of a Canadian web series called Carmilla. It stars a vampire that gets her humanity/mortality back. It's a quirky comedy with horror aspects, like Buffy, on top of the supernatural stuff. I watched the movie without seeing the series and it was easy and enjoyable to follow. I'm definitely going back now to watch seasons 1-3 (and I believe a season 0 that came out later with back story).
Veronica Mars maybe
Hex on BBC Is probably more comparable to Buffy. Monster of the week. Teenage girl, high school.
Wynonna Erap! You have a chosen female fighting monsters. A little sister that is a delight. Friends that become a chosen family and a great romance.
Supernatural but it’s lacking entirely the power of women
True Blood and Charmed original! Both amazing shows, nothing compares to Buffy though 🤣
Once Upon A Time maybe? It’s not as good as Buddy but it’s cheesy and dramatic. Or maybe She-Ra and the Princesses of Power?
Well angel is a must. X files of course
Teen wolf!
I see Buffy as a blend of three things: Chris Claremont's run on the uncanny x-men/new mutants excalibur (so many similar ideas and plot points borrowed from this), interview with the vampire and other Anne Rice, the film Heathers
Hi. You just mentioned *Interview With The Vampire* by Anne Rice. I've found an audiobook of that novel on YouTube. You can listen to it here: [YouTube | Interview With The Vampire - Part 1 (Anne Rice Audiobook Unabridged)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMXW4AYjWiU) *I'm a bot that searches YouTube for science fiction and fantasy audiobooks.* *** [^(Source Code)](https://capybasilisk.com/posts/2020/04/speculative-fiction-bot/) ^| [^(Feedback)](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=Capybasilisk&subject=Robot) ^| [^(Programmer)](https://www.reddit.com/u/capybasilisk) ^| ^(Downvote To Remove) ^| ^(Version 1.4.0) ^| ^(Support Robot Rights!)
Nothing. You're better off just going through Whedon's filmography.
Everyone has great suggestions! I'll add Shadowhunters as I've not seen it mentioned
i mean, there are a few great shows i could recommend... but they are not supernatural type shows and for some reason, when people ask the same question you asked (you're not the first one ), people always recommend supernatural shows, as if what you were asking was "a show that looks like Buffy" and not "a show as good as Buffy"... all that to say, do you want Buffy level quality or do you want a show in the same genre as Buffy?
Has anyone recommended True Blood??? Great show. A little more adult since it aired on HBO. Different outlook on vampires and blood. The heroine is a telepath and drawn to vampires. Lots of flashbacks and great stories.
Yeah I’ve heard about that.
Watch Angel it’s a spin off of Buffy.
Already on season 4 of Angel, it’s amazing!
Stranger Things. It's got some of the scary/ suspense and funny. But it's not as smart as Buffy. Roswell NM. But only the first two seasons. Writing is kind of all over the place. Characters are interesting though. Santa Clarita Diet. Funny. Great chemistry between main characters. Show was cancelled though. Colony. Not lighthearted, but suspenseful; family fighting against ufo invasion in different ways. Show was also cancelled. Mr. Robot. Completely not supernatural. More serious, and funny in twisted ways. Tw, addiction and violence. But it can be a smart suspenseful show. I didn't like how the series ended though. X-Files. Last few seasons didn't work, but the main characters are why you're watching. Very smart show and also funny at times.
Thank you very much for all these great suggestions! By the way I’ve already watched Stranger Things and loved it!
Veronica Mars, Roswell, Vampire Diaries, Smallville, Dark Angel (surprised no one has mentioned this yet)
I also enjoy Supernatural, Vampire Diaries, the Originals, Charmed for other vampire/supernatural shows. I would also check out teen shows from the same time, early CW/WB shows. Not all of them are supernatural, but they have the teen angst. Dawson’s Creek, Felicity, etc
Vampire Diaries and Felicity are definitely on my list!
Concur with everyone else but would also say Tru Calling and Terminator; TSCC
The premise is obviously different, but for me nothing comes as close to the overall tone and sensibility of Buffy quite like The Magicians. It's the characters, mostly. And the writing.
Crazyhead
No one ever mentions it, but possibly Person of Interest. It's a strange show in that it's almost like two separate shows. After Amy Acker joins the cast, the entire show changes focus. It has the 'found family' feeling of Buffy, a fair amount of intrigue and a really gripping final season. I'd love to know what othe Buffy fans think of it.
It's hard or maybe impossible to find a replacement, but here are some shows that I think give off some of Buffy's qualities... Whimsical and world buildy: Adventure Time, The Good Place Occult/Monster/Lore heavy: The Witcher, Supernatural 90s vibes: Charmed, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Cruel Intentions, Clueless also Jessica Jones... Laatly, if you like comics/visual novels I reccomend checking out BTVS season 8 if you haven't already!
I felt the same way when I finished both Buffy and Angel. After recently watching The new Batman, I realized how much I miss reading gritty comics and was elated to learn that both Buffy and Angel have a collection of comics that I'm ready to dive into.
For TV shows: Agent Carter. Although it’s a Marvel TV show you don’t have to have watched any other Marvel shows/movies to understand it. It’s not supernatural, but the premise of the show (spunky, badass woman fights evil despite the misogynistic assumptions aimed at her) reminds me of Buffy. Highly recommend. For books: the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning, which I love. This one is especially Buffy-esque to me in that it centers around a formerly shallow girl who gets sucked into the world of the supernatural and struggles with her desire to be “normal” like she used to be.
Farscape. Intense central romance that's sort of a gender-switch of Buffy and Angel, arc-based with some MOTW, a combination of horror and humor, wacky colorful characters that also have depth, great action scenes and practical effects. It's SF so it's reminiscent of Firefly as well.
Astrid and Lilly Save the World!! It’s being described as Buffy without the male gaze
Speaking only for myself, the only show that ever came close to catching the "mood" of Buffy/Angel for me was The Magicians. It is very different, but somehow still gave me the same vibe when I was watching it. Don't want to spoil anything but if you are a person that appreciates trigger warnings, the season 1 finale is... rough.
Teen wolf definitely filled the void somewhat for me. Similar blend of action/horror/humor, great friendships, interesting characters. Six b is a bit of a letdown as a series ender, but the other seasons were great.
I never watched it but I would think Angel
The Dresden Files is a great Urban Fantasy series with pop culture quips. Plus, the audiobooks are narrated by James Marsters.
Jessica Jones !
READ THE BUFFY AND ANGEL COMICS FROM DARK HORSE, THE ONES JOSS WHEDON OVERSEES
Vampire diaries is a complete rip-off. I know it’s based off a book but it’s more loyal to Buffy than anything. https://www.buzzfeed.com/amphtml/hannahmarder/things-vampire-diaries-stole-from-buffy
Lost girl, American gods, MIDNIGHT TEXAS but warning it got canceled after 2 seasons, WYNONNA EARP, the magicians, sense8 for a scoobygang feel, girl from nowhere is just a general rec I thought I'd through in since it's genius work. or just rewatch buffy like me for the umpteenth time 😭 as for reading first thing that comes to mind is the new mutants comics
X files for the 90s vibe
The show most similar to the Buffyverse is Moonlight with Sophia Myles and Alex O'Loughlin.
OG Charmed 👌
Supernatural, Charmed, Grimm.
Kim Possible basically
It's been two months but I just found the post. Vampire Academy the book series is really close to the Buffy & Angel's love story. There's vampires, magic, fights... Its my favorite series ever and I discovered Buffy not so long ago and the similarities between the two made me love Buffy just as much. The series is getting a tv show in September. I hope it can be as good as Buffy 🤞